''Man Under Cover'' is a 1922 American

crime film Crime film is a film belonging to the crime fiction genre. Films of this genre generally involve various aspects of crime and fiction. Stylistically, the genre may overlap and combine with many other genres, such as Drama (film and television), dr ...

directed by

Tod Browning Tod Browning (born Charles Albert Browning Jr.; July 12, 1880 – October 6, 1962) was an American film director, film actor, screenwriter, vaudeville performer, and carnival sideshow and circus entertainer. He directed a number of films of var ...

and starring

Herbert Rawlinson Herbert Banemann Rawlinson (15 November 1885 – 12 July 1953) was an English-born stage, film, radio, and television actor. A leading man during Hollywood's silent film era, Rawlinson transitioned to character roles after the advent of sound f ...

and George Hernandez. A copy of ''Man Under Cover'' is housed at the

Museum of Modern Art The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

.American Silent Feature Film Survival Database: ''Man Under Cover''
/ref>

Plot

As described in a

film magazine Film periodicals combine discussion of individual films, genres and directors with in-depth considerations of the medium and the conditions of its production and reception. Their articles contrast with film reviewing in newspapers and magazines whi ...

, Paul Porter (Rawlinson) and his pal Daddy Moffat (Hernandez), who are two crooks, arrive at Paul's hometown to find that Holt Langdon (Pring), a cashier at the bank and an old comrade of Paul's, is in trouble. Holt needs $25,000. Paul and Dad decide to "crack" the local bank that night and help Holt out. When the two enter the bank that night they discover Holt’s body— he has killed himself. They also find evidence showing that Holt was short $25,000 in his cashier's account. Because of Holt's friendship and because of his sister Margaret, who was Paul's boyhood sweetheart, they "frame" the bank to rearrange matters to make it appear to have been a hold-up where Holt died defending the bank's funds. The circumstances of the event impress upon Paul so deeply that he decides to leave his life of crime and to go straight. He saves Margaret from financial embarrassment by buying the small newspaper that she runs. Paul and Daddy then discover that two confidence men are operating in the town, collecting thousands of dollars in a fake oil well scheme. They decide to outwit the crooks. With the aid of Colonel Culpepper (Marks), a lawyer, they start a fake well themselves and stage a typical gusher

blowout Blowout or Blow out may refer to: Film and television *''Blow Out'', a 1981 film by Brian De Palma * '' The Blow Out'', a 1936 short film * ''Blow Out'' (TV series), a TV series on Bravo * "Blow Out" (''Prison Break''), an episode of ''Priso ...

. The two crooks, fooled into thinking that there is actually oil under the town's land, buy out their well at a high figure. Paul is thus able to return to the townspeople their swindled savings stolen by the foiled confidence men. Paul then tells Margaret the whole story. After learning of her brother's tragedy, she forgives Paul for his prior misdeeds. The two find happiness together.

Cast

as Paul Porter * George Hernandez as Daddy Moffat *

William Courtright William Courtright (February 10, 1848 – March 6, 1933) was an American film actor. Early years He was born Theodore Courtright in New Milford, Illinois, and was educated in the public schools of Ione, California. When he was 16, he ran ...

as Mayor Harper (credited as William Courtwright) * George Webb as Jones Wiley * Edwin B. Tilton as 'Coal Oil' Chase (credited as Edwin Booth Tilton) *

Gerald Pring Gerald Pring (1888–1970) was a British stage and film actor. He played a number of supporting roles in British and American films during the silent and sound eras. In 1930 he appeared in the West End in the comedy '' Almost a Honeymoon''.Wea ...

as Holt Langdon * Barbara Bedford as Margaret Langdon *

Willis Marks Willis Marks (August 20, 1865, Rochester, Minnesota, United States – December 6, 1952, Los Angeles, California) was an American silent film actor. Biography In 1888, Marks debuted on stage professionally. He acted in Oliver Morosco's stock c ...

as Colonel Culpepper * Betty Eliason as Kiddie * Betty Stone as Kiddie

Production

Louis Victor Eytinge wrote the screenplay for the film while serving a life sentence for murder in an Arizona prison.

References

External links

* {{Tod Browning 1922 films 1922 crime films American crime films American silent feature films American black-and-white films Films directed by Tod Browning Universal Pictures films 1920s American films